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Weather pattern conducive to phytophthora, white mold in soybeans

A plant pathologist says this summer’s weather pattern has led to an increase in some soybean diseases across the Midwest.

Dylan Mangel with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says dryness was followed by rain. “We had stressed plants early on. When we have stressed plants, those root systems didn’t have water, and they’re more susceptible to disease when that water shows up later.”

He tells Brownfield phytophthora can kill plants and was very prevalent in July.  “If it’s getting them early season and you’re losing your stand count early on, you will have beans that compensate. The problem like this year is getting them later on, and that can cause yield loss just from that stand loss.”

And, Mangel says, white mold is starting to emerge. “Especially in areas where there has been a history of it, but I think, growers thought they were going to get away form it this year, but it just started showing up.”

He says the best management strategy is to select resistant soybean varieties while in-season tools may not be as successful.

Mangel spoke with Brownfield at the Nebraska Soybean Management Field Day.